


The Authoress to the Rescue

by Mercia12591



Series: The Austenshire Series [1]
Category: Sanditon (TV 2019), Sanditon - Jane Austen
Genre: Fix-It, Gen, Throwing shade at Andrew Davies and Sanditon finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-12-21 06:34:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21070472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mercia12591/pseuds/Mercia12591
Summary: Somewhere between dreams and waking is a parallel universe tantalizingly close to us yet a world apart, but any true Jane Austen fan can reach it by simply closing their eyes. This universe is called Austenshire and here in a place where the glamour of the Regency never faded, lives all of Jane Austen's characters. Normally it is a tranquil place, but on the day after ITV's Sanditon Finale the place is in an uproar and Andrew Davies is definitely persona non grata...





	The Authoress to the Rescue

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone  
thank you all for the wonderful comments. I wanted to put it out there that I have found two completed versions of Jane Austen's Sanditon, one version is by Juliette Shapiro and the other by an author simply calling herself 'Another Lady', most importantly both these novels end in a VERY Austen way, if you catch my meaning - yes I read the endings first because Andrew Davies has made me so paranoid- anyway I am willing to share these novels for free with any of you who are interested. 
> 
> Well, I'm off to read from the beginning now, Sanditon - Davies free - here I come!!

“I still can't believe it.” Jane Bingley told Elizabeth Darcy that morning as they roamed the grounds of Pemberley. ''He had always been so good at adapting, Miss Austen's work, great even and now...”

“He's gone mad,” Elizabeth said in her direct manner, “drunk on his own ego and power no doubt, he began to think he could do Austen better than the Lady herself.”

“Always a mistake,” Jane Bingley replied. “certain things should be left to the experts.”

“Something Mr. Davies clearly isn't anymore,” Marianne Brandon spoke behind them with Elinor Ferris bringing up the rear.

“My Edward thinks poor Mr. Davies has caught some or other Thrones sickness,” Elinor said, “apparently it causes writers to want to shock and anger their readers by subverting expectations.”

“That sounds dreadful!” Jane cried, “I hope it is not contagious!”

The women were just about to turn back to the big house for morning tea when Emma Knightly came hurrying towards them. “The Lady is here, Miss Austen herself! She has called a meeting at Chawton Cottage in an hour.”

***

“I am so thankful, my Lizzie that Mr. Davies adapted our story before he contracted Realism-Game-of-Throneisitis, just think if he had to adapt our story in his current state, I might have ended up with Caroline Bingley!” Darcy shuddered at the thought.

“Or you might have otherwise ended up with Anne de Burgh and our story might've been stretched out over several seasons, because, you know, money.” Lizzy quipped in a voice dripping with contempt.

As the Darcys carriage stopped in front of Miss Austen's cottage they saw several carriages already there, including the Parkers carriage and Mrs. Campion's fashionable farouche. The wealthy widow looked like a cat who just had a whole bowl of cream and Lizzy's hand itched to wipe that smug smile from the woman's pinched face.

“Poor Charlotte!” Lizzy whispered to Darcy, “we must ask her to come to join us at Pemberley for a while, and Lady Susan too, perhaps the Knightleys and my sister and Bingley...”

“Are you suggesting a proper house party, Mrs. Darcy?”

“Yes,” Lizzy replied, “We deserve a little fun after the travesty that was Andrew Davies' Sanditon.”

“It's agreed then,” Fitzwilliam said, giving his wife's hand a squeeze as they entered the cottage of the Lady Authoress.

***

Charlotte Heywood entered the cottage on Lady Susan's arm, her head held high. Sidney's gaze was immediately drawn to her and he couldn't look away even as Mrs. Campion hang on his arm like a dead bird.

The Authoress took in all the characters gathered before her, her novels, her children each one had a place in her heart, each one a small piece of her. “Thank you all for coming,” Jane Austen spoke in a clear voice. “I'm sorry this was necessary, but this business with Andrew Davies' adaption of Sanditon...”

“Your Ladyship if I may,” Sidney spoke up and Jane nodded indicating he may speak. “I can not do this I cannot marry who I do not love, I do not care what the script says.”

“Sidney, please!” Eliza interrupted, “we are characters, bound by the story written for us by the Author and since it looks like there will be no Season 2 and thus no continuation of the story,” she grinned like a Cheshire cat, “it seems you're stuck with me till death do us part.” 

Sidney visibly recoiled from the blonde woman.

“Your death can be arranged with the mere stroke of a quill, Mrs. Campion,” Jane said in a soft voice as her gaze pinned the grasping widow to the spot. “As you so helpfully pointed out, you are a character and I...” She let the sentence hang there a moment.

“But Mr. Davies...” Eliza began only to be cut off by Jane.

“I am the Authoress, Mrs. Campion,” Jane said with an air of authoritative finality. “Mr. Davies, good adapter though he may have been in the past, lost the plot on Sanditon, not entirely mind you, some parts were quite good if I do say so myself, but he still lost the plot in major ways, most notably that gamble with the ending, absolutely atrocious!''

Across the room, Charlotte's eyes began to glow with a faint flicker of hope as her gaze locked with Sidney's.

Miss Austen noticed and hid a smile as she removed a manuscript from her desk. It turned out to be Sanditon completed, specifically the version which would be given the Authoress' official stamp of approval and thus the version that would be lived out in this Austen universe. The Lady handed the manuscript to Sidney and beckoned Charlotte to come read with him. As the couple read together in silence the mirroring smiles on their faces grew and it was soon apparent to all present that whatever was written there fixed Andrew Davies' mess in a very satisfactory manner indeed. 

''As you can see I kept a great many of Mr. Davies's suggestions, forgoing the incest, of course, while the drawing room incident is merely speculated at, most importantly Episode 8 has been redone, Sidney will propose at the cliffs because really why wait, my boy? There won't be any fire, because unlike some people I'm not trying to make money off a totally unnecessary second season...''

Laughter filled the room and with a smile, Miss Austen continued, ''Sidney and Charlotte will marry a few weeks after Esther and Lord Babbington. They will settle in Sanditon, but also have a big London townhouse. There are other small details, but that's the important bits.'' She looked at Charlotte and Sidney who were the very picture of boundless joy. ''Know this, my original notes show that the two of you having a 'happily ever after' was always the plan, ALWAYS.''

***

And so with order and happy endings restored, everyone was pleased as punch, well almost everyone, Eliza left for London in a huff, licking her wounds. As for Sidney and Charlotte, their engagement was announced at the Midsummer's Ball, a few days later. In the interim Sidney made doubly sure that his brother and Sanditon were properly insured, because why tempt fate, right?


End file.
